COOKING WITH CORINNE

Spring is the best season for the nutritious asparagus! First of all, let's see how it's grown... The stalks shoot up from the crown of the plant and grow into fern-like leaves when they are allowed to develop. However, the edible stalks are harvested strictly by hand before the actual fern leaves develop. You have to be patient to grow your own asparagus: It takes three years from the sowing of the seed to the harvest of the first stalks. Asparagus is one of the few vegetables that is grown as a perennial since the plants have about a 10-year life. Did you know ? The plants are either male or female. The female produces seeds, which not only reduce the size of the stalks but also crowd the beds with seedlings. Since the males do not expend energy making seeds, their stalks are larger and more desirable. Asparagus Varieties Green asparagus : Most American asparagus is of this variety, which ranges from pencil-thin to very thick. White : Preferred in Europe, these sun...

INGREDIENTS (6 servings) 1 buttered puff pastry roll 5 to 6 pears 50 g unsalted butter 50 g granulated sugar 1 tsp cinnamon DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Peal the pears and cut it in quarters. Cook it in a pan with butter, sugar and cinnamon until it turns into a light brown color. To assemble the tart, arrange the pear quarters tightly in a circle around the edge of the mold, as shown on the photo. Leave at room temperature to cool. Cover with the puff pastry. Tuck the edges down the inside of the mold and, with a fork, prick a few holes in the pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and crisp. Allow to cool to room temperature for 15 minutes before running a knife around the edge of the mold and inverting it onto a large serving plate. Serve warm with a vanilla flavored whipped cream.

This month I am exploring the immensely popular nosh in a glass called Verrines , a culinary phenomenon that has enjoyed an explosion in popularity these last years years. You might be served Verrines  as an amuse bouche in a Michelin-starred restaurant, but you are just as likely to discover and enjoy it at a friend's apéritif dînatoire . Typically, Verrines are . . . Layered, to concontrast tastes, textures, and colors and that's why it make Verrines so appealing, Served in clear glasses , to appreciate the layering, Small , as most Verrine glasses sold in France are about 2 ounces, Served cold or at room temperature , so you will make it ahead, Served as an appetizer or part of a cocktail dinatoire ... a French party features sample finger food, served in waves, starting with savory noshes and ending with small desserts. RECIPE 1: QUAIL and SALMON EGGS, VEGETABLES JELLY Preparation: 15 min Cooking time: 10mn Ingredients (6 serving): - 12 quail eggs ...

Petit Beurre (literally "little butter") is a small rectangular cookie invented in the late nineteen-century by Louis Lefèvre-Utile, the founder of the Nantes-based company LU. This man was the first to create a cookie manufacture in France. He was also ahead on his time in terms of marketing and advertising too.  More than hundred years later, Petit Beurre is still a highlight in the long list of French classics ! Petit Beurre is crispy, not too sweet and not too rich. It perfectly accompanies a cup of tea. You will easily recognize a "Petit Beurre" by the dents all around the edges, browned ear at each corner, and tiny holes on the surface as if pricked by a needle. Children say that corners are the best, starting to eat "les petites oreilles" first ! Of course you could go to the supermarket and buy a pack of Petit LU but.... just do it in your kitchen. It's easy and much more better ! To get a perfect cutting and also to print the su...

This is one of my favorite cakes recipe, delicious orange jam filled gingerbread cakes that I love to bake for Christmas. These little delights have been created in Burgundy by the nuns so that's why it's called Nonnettes (little nuns).  See below my recipe that you can now experience in your kitchen! Preparation : 20mn - Baking time : 20mn  INGREDIENTS (for 6 tiny cakes) - 5 tbsp honey - 1/2 cup water - 1/3 cup unsalted butter - 1/4 cup granulated sugar - 1/2 cup toasted corn flour - 2/3 cup all-purpose flour - 1/2 tsp baking soda - 1 tsp gingerbread spices mix - Bitter orange jam Lemon glaze : Whisk 6 tbsp icing sugar with 1 tbsp lemon juice. Coat the glaze all around the cakes and on top. Sprinkle with icing sugar and let it dry for several hours at room temperature. DIRECTIONS In a saucepan, add water with sugar, honey and butter. Bring it to a simmer while stirring until butter and sugar are melted and combined. Sift the two flours with the bakin...

Green asparagus is a bit grassy in flavor but it's considered to be the most nutritious vegetable of this season, providing a good source of vitamin K, potassium, calcium , vitamins B and C, folid acid, beta-carotene, and antioxydants. It's not necessary to spend a lot of calories to get those benefits as 3 spears of asparagus add up to 9 calories and you get 1 gram of fiber... There are many ways to cook this spring vegetable. Its season is short, and you have to make the most of it. So serve it a few times in different ways. You can simply steam it and season with olive oil, garlic, pepper, and shredded cheese, or roast it with parmesan and garlic or lemony breadcrumbs. You can mix in risotto with fresh spring peas, parsley, and parmesan. But I have my own recipe that I'm glad to share with you. Today I have prepared a delicious saffron flavored asparagus soup. Tight your apron and cook it in your kitchen!  Here it is: INGREDIENTS (6 serving) 2 poun...

There's no need to go to a fancy restaurant when you can create this version of the snow eggs at home...  Snow eggs is called "oeufs à la neige", one of the top-ranked French classics thought by our grand-mothers and mothers. I regularly add it to my menu when I personally run Lifestyle Vacations ' hands-on cooking classes in Normandy, Loire Valley, Alsace or Périgord in France. INGREDIENTS (6 serving) 6 (organic) eggs 80 g + 40 g granulated sugar 750 ml whole milk 1 vanilla pod Caramel sauce : Put 100g granulated sugar with 25g water in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat without stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil until glaze registers 375°F (190°C) on cooking thermometer. It takes about 10 minutes. DIRECTIONS Start preparing the meringue in beating the egg whites until foamy. Add 40g sugar and whisk until stiff. Put the milk in a shallow casserole pan and heat gently – it should steam rather than simmer. Using a small oval...